What Kind of Shoes Are Good for Flat Feet?

I am very flat-footed, and every kind of shoe I've tried gives me some kind of blister where I should have an arch. I’ve run in shoes for overpronators and trail shoes. Eventually I went out and bought what felt the most comfortable (Nike Vomero 6). These have given me the smallest blisters so far. Besides a lot of Band-Aids, do you know of any other tips or tricks that can help me out? Or do you think the supports will just take time to get used to? Thanks. –Bobbi

I’m sorry to hear about your blister issues, although it sounds as if you’re headed in the right direction. You can’t judge a book by its cover or a foot by its shape. Although it is important to know the shape of your arch, it is more useful to determine whether you have a neutral stride or whether you overpronate (the foot rolls inward too much).

I’m hoping some of my flat-footed running friends will post a comment on what works for them. My guess is that you’ll quickly see that just because you have flat feet doesn’t mean you overpronate. In fact, you can have flat as pancake feet and still run with a neutral stride (also called neutral pronation). I’m not saying that is your situation; I’m merely relaying that your instincts to try something knew are likely a good choice—especially if your body felt better and had fewer blisters.

If this is the case, heading to a running store and having them analyze your gait for this motion can be helpful. Or videotape yourself running on a treadmill and see for yourself. Be mindful that in solving one problem (blisters) and going with a more neutral shoe, you can create other ones in the form of knee or hip pain. If this happens, it may mean that you do have some overpronation and running in less shoe is aggravating it.

Another strategy that may help is to go with a shoe that fits the shape of your foot with a wider toe box. It could be that the width and the motion control are causing the friction inside the shoe. I’m sure you’re wearing wicking socks, but if you’re not, include that on your list of things to try.

Finally, it pays to look beyond the shoe sometimes for other ways to improve the life of your feet. Some ways you can do so include:

Strengthen your feet, legs and core—you’ll develop a solid foundation from which many running aches and pains will disappear. One great foot strengthener is to balance on one foot for 30 seconds or until it is fatigued and repeat on the other side 2-4 times. In a matter of seconds you’ll start to feel all the muscles in your feet, legs, and hips activate to stabilize you, all of which will help you better support your body stride for stride on the run.

Increase your mileage gradually. Sometimes blisters and other aches and pains can arise when mileage or intensity is elevated too quickly or there isn’t enough quality rest time along the way. You’re running outside your fitness level when you push it too much, too soon, which can cause a breakdown in your running form as well as your body. Make it a point to evolve into your running goals and give your body time to adapt and grow stronger along the way.

Happy Trails.

Learn more tips and tricks for running your best life here -> CoachJenny.com

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